trait

American  

[treyt, trey] / treɪt, treɪ /

noun

1. a distinguishing characteristic or quality, especially of one's personal nature.

   bad traits of character.

   Synonyms:

   property, attribute, mark, peculiarity

2. a pen or pencil stroke.

3. a stroke, touch, or strain, as of some quality.

   a trait of pathos; a trait of ready wit.

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trait British  

/ treɪ, treɪt /

noun

1. a characteristic feature or quality distinguishing a particular person or thing

2. rare a touch or stroke

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trait Scientific  

/ trāt /

1. A genetically determined characteristic or condition. Traits may be physical, such as hair color or leaf shape, or they may be behavioral, such as nesting in birds and burrowing in rodents. Traits typically result from the combined action of several genes, though some traits are expressed by a single gene.

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Etymology

Origin of trait

First recorded in 1470–80; from Middle French: literally, “something drawn,” from Latin tractus; tract ¹

Example Sentences

They also aim to understand how this pathway interacts with other pathogen traits that influence infection success.

From Science Daily

One of UV-C light's most valuable traits is how strongly it scatters in the atmosphere, which makes it especially useful for non-line-of-sight communication.

From Science Daily

Its dramatic terrain and a few familiar traits make it feel like the next frontier for exploration and settlement.

From Science Daily

Panahi says he casts actors based on how their physical traits resemble the character he has in mind.

From Los Angeles Times

A fixed mindset -- the belief that intelligence and ability are unchangeable traits -- is also connected to impostor feelings.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• attribute
• character
• feature
• habit
• idiosyncrasy
• manner
• oddity
• peculiarity
• quality
• quirk
• trick
• virtue